Rules & Regulations

Affiliation

Anyone is welcome to use our material as they like, constrained only by the rights reserved in the documents.

If a temple or lodge is formed in its use, it may say it is using OSOGD material or inspired thereby but may not say that the group is an OSOGD group, nor can it claim to initiate within the OSOGD current.

Any group using our material, or inspired by it, or having embraced the open source approach, may, at the discretion of the OSOGD, join our Network of Open Source Lodges. After applying (telling us about yourself and how you are practicing in an open source manner) and providing a group name, contact points, and a short descriptive text, a free listing will be provided in the Network section on our Lodges (was Temples) page.

If you wish to initiate within the OSOGD current, you must apply to be a Lodge of the Order. The executive council of the Order, called the Areopagus, will review the application with particular attention to the group's level of maturity and readiness to initiate. Only initiated adepts of the Order may initiate or advance within the current, and then only with a Charter to do so, or if granted a Warrant to do so without having completely fulfilled the requirements.

Should the Areopagus agree, the applying group may be granted Daughter Lodge status, which is a probationary period of no less than one year during which the new Daughter Lodge and its members are mentored and its officers trained.

At the end of the probationary period:

If the Lodge has a member who is a fully initiated OSOGD Adept willing to take up the office of Hierophant, the Lodge may apply to the College of the Order for full Sister Lodge status, which will require a two-thirds vote for ratification.
If not, but possesses a member who achieved adeptship in another Order, is duly advancing towards initiation as an Adept of the OSOGD and has the skills to perform the initiations and advancements, the Areopagus may grant the Daughter Lodge a Warrant to perform the initiations and advancements of the First Order until a fully initiated Adept is present. This Warrant may be applied for and granted at any time during the probationary period.
If no such person is found, the Daughter Lodge will need to make arrangements with her mentors for an initiated Adept to perform the rites.

Brand Use

Whereas the Name and Seal of the Order are embodiments of the good reputation of our Order, all uses of them in communications facing the Outer World (e.g., events, websites, print, etc.) must receive written approval by the Areopagus of the Order before said use. The Areopagus upon vote may rescind approval at any time.

All communications channels in operation using the Name and/or Seal of the Order (e.g., listservs, social media, websites, etc.) will establish the Imperator of the Order and of the hosting Lodge each as an administrator on the channel.

Minimum Knowledge Requirement for Joining Our Order

The minimum requirement for initiation is that the candidate know what the Golden Dawn is and be willing to do the work required to advance in our curriculum. There is no other requirement in terms of skill or knowledge of magic, esotericism, religion or philosophy.

Knowing who we are and wanting to do the work we do with us is the sole basis for membership.

Beyond this we need to be assured that: the candidate understands that we are a specific kind of Golden Dawn and that we feel they will be in harmony with the Lodge.

Advancement

To become a member of the Order one must be initiated by a chartered adept, or their successor, or one fully qualified and elected by the college of the Lodge or Order or be warranted adept. The rite must also be presented in ample form to ensure its full and proper effect.

Advancement requires the completion of the curriculum of the grade , a written proctored test with no less a score than 75%, and a conversation with the Preamonstrator regarding the meditations, reading, and other practical matters, satisfying that officer that all published requirements have been satisfactorily completed.

Having completed the requirements and with the Preamonstrator's blessing the aspirant will request advancement from the Hierophant who will ascertain from the Preamonstrator that all requirements have been met. These items done, the Hierophant will schedule and mount the advancement.

The 2nd Order:

As the advancement into the Second Order constitutes graduation from the school that is the First Order and bestows full franchise, it is only right and proper that the judgments of one individual not be an impediment to such advancement. Therefore a committee of three Adepts of the College of the Rose Cross will review all of the written requirements, e.g. the thesis, divinations and other essays, necessary to advance into the grade of Adeptus Minor and if a majority approve, the aspirant will be advanced.

Treasury

All transactions, either payable or receivable, must include an e-mail to the Treasurer, cc'd to the Cancellarius.
Those asking for reimbursement must provide a receipt.
The Treasurer and one other member of the Areopagus must sign off on any outgoing funds. (If the Treasurer is not available, the Cancellarius or the Imperator may sign in their stead.)
For services (or goods sold) rendered outside the Order, a detailed invoice will be prepared and submitted for approval to the Treasurer and one other member of the Areopagus. This is to be sent upon approval to the party receiving the service (or goods). The member originally funding the project will be compensated upon receipt of payment.
Transactions will be recorded in a log book, and a copy of all receipts retained. Dues are recorded in their own log book and in the general transaction log book.

Dues

These dues regulations apply to Het Nuit Lodge only.

Dues Rates

Dues are paid on an annual basis. The year is reckoned from January 1 to December 31.
First Order members pay dues of $80.00.
Second Order members pay dues of $100.00.
Associate members pay dues of $40.00.

Dues-paying associate members are entitled to be on the Lodge email list, to access the private Het Nuit website, and to attend Lodge rituals and functions. Associate members may not hold an office or advance through the grades.

Long-distance members are not required to pay dues. "Long-distance" members are defined as those who live further than a one-hour drive to their local Lodge. The OSOGD takes the position that regular physical attendance at and participation in Lodge activities provides the maximum benefit to members. Therefore those who cannot attend regularly due to location should not have to pay for a benefit that they cannot partake of easily. Long-distance members who wish nevertheless to pay dues may pay a suggested amount of $40.00 or whatever they feel is appropriate.
New, incoming members pay dues at the rate of $7.00 per month beginning the first month after their initiation. For example, new members who are initiated in March would begin to pay dues as of April, so they would pay for April–December, nine months, or $63.00.

Dues Payment Schedule

Dues are payable on January 1 and are in arrears as of the Spring Equinox. First and Second Order members are required to pay half their annual dues by the Spring Equinox. The other half is due by the Fall Equinox.
Associate members are required to pay their entire dues of $40.00 by the Spring Equinox.
New members are required to pay their annual dues in full on the day of initiation.

Dues Payment Methods

Local members are required to pay their dues in cash.
Long-distance members may pay by check if desired. The Cancellarius or Sub-Cancellarius may make whatever arrangements are most convenient for receipt and handling of checks.

Logging Payments

The Cancellarius or Sub-Cancellarius shall do the following for each dues payment received:

Provide a paper receipt to the dues payer (receipt book).
Provide an email acknowledgment of the receipt with cc to the
Log the dues payment in the Lodge Dues Account Book.
Note the payment in the member's database record.

Procedures and Penalties for non-payment

The Cancellarius or Sub-Cancellarius will send email reminders to members in arrears with their dues, including deadlines. If no payment is made or other arrangement is forthcoming by the deadline, a list of such members will be turned over to the Imperator or Sub-Imperator. The Imperator or Sub-Imperator will issue a second and final request to pay dues including a deadline. Once this deadline is passed, members in arrears will be removed from the Lodge email list and their password to the Het Nuit site will be changed. The Cancellarius or Sub-Cancellarius will take this action and send email to the affected member(s) with copies retained. The Cancellarius will update the membership record(s) to reflect this action including dates.

Financial Hardship

The OSOGD sustains a policy that no one is prevented from obtaining or maintaining membership for financial reasons (inability to pay dues). Anyone who feels that dues payment represents a financial hardship may speak to the Hierophant, the Imperator of the Lodge or the Order, or the Adeptus Princeps about this. Such cases will be handled on an individual basis, will be treated confidentially, and recorded with a note in the member's database record.

Email Voting Procedure

This regulation applies to Het Nuit Lodge only.

General rules:

All Colleagues receive the same information, including each member’s vote.
A date and time is set for the start and end of each electronic mail vote.
A Colleague may change his or her vote at any time prior to the final date and time set for the end of each electronic vote.
Only a discrete main motion may be voted on by electronic mail.
Non-responses on electronic mail voting shall be counted as votes of no.
Votes by electronic mail are recorded in the minutes of the next regular meeting.

Procedure:

Motions must include a subject line “EMAIL VOTE” followed the title of the motion. The body should contain a brief description of the motion. The author should include rationale why the motion can’t wait for the general meeting. (Usually Day C)
Colleagues can voice their opinions on the proposed motion and discuss its pros and cons.
If a motion for an email vote is made and seconded, the makers must say why the matter cannot wait for the next meeting and must designate a time the voting must end. The chair must then submit the motion. If the motion has not passed when the voting time has expired, the motion fails.
The chair decides if the motion can or cannot wait for the next general meeting and can set a deadline before calling for a vote. The chair’s message should include the exact wording of the motion, state who made it, and who seconded it.
All participants must make their vote known to other voters. Voters may change their vote before the deadline is reached.

Procedures for Ratification of New Members

This regulation applies to Het Nuit Lodge only.

After the Membership Committee has completed its process and a Candidate for Membership in Het Nuit Lodge of the OSOGD has been duly introduced to the Members of the Lodge, the Committee Chair or Cancellarius will call for a vote on the Candidate.

All duly initiated, dues current, members of Het Nuit Lodge are eligible to vote.

All discussion is confidential to the order.

The Vote consists of Ayes, Nays and Silence.

Silence is a valid ballot and indicates only that the Member does not obstruct the Candidate's membership.

Ayes indicate assent to the Candidate's membership.

Nays indicate objection to the Candidate's Membership. They may be publicly expressed in a Lodge-Only forum, or confidentially to an Officer of the Order who will report same immediately to the Chair of the Lodge Membership Committee. In which event the Membership Committee will deliberate and take suitable action. Wisdom, Justice and Mercy will guide these deliberations, fortify and temper those actions.

All voices must be heard.

Associated regulations and policies:

Email voting follows the Email Voting Regulations adopted on Day C, 2010.

Candidate communications follow Membership Committee Policy standards.

Regulations for Officers of the Open Source Order of the Golden Dawn

This regulation applies to Het Nuit Lodge only.

Holding an Office

Holding an office is an honor that is open to all regular members in good standing of Het Nuit. This active participation in group ritual is an experience which can greatly enrich one’s journey on the Golden Dawn path.

Sequence of Officers

As each new equinoctial period approaches, a call will be put out to the Het Nuit email list inviting those who wish to fulfill the roles of the floor officers. Those already occupying an office have first dibs on the subsequent office, in this sequence: Sentinel, Dadouchos, Stolistes, Kerux, Hegemon, Hiereus. (The office of Hierophant and the other dais officers will be decided among the College of the Rose Cross of the Order.) There is a natural training progression of these offices in this order, and it is typical, but not required, that people already in an office progress to the next one at the following equinox, but members may take up an office in a different sequence as needed. The Sacristan, the Promagister Potissi, and the Promagister Soli are additional officers that may be selected at this time.

Requesting an Office

Those wishing to advance to hold the next office in the sequence should respond to the list as soon as possible. If the officer who would be scheduled to move into the subsequent office does not wish to do so (or is moving into a different, non--sequential office) she or he should speak up as soon as possible so that others may have the opportunity to fulfill the office. If an office is available, the first person who speaks up about it, replying to the list, is usually the person who will be approved for that office—although contests of skill or cleverness are not unheard of among those vying for an office. There are no set grade requirements for holding offices in OSOGD, however, for those wishing to take on the offices of Kerux, Hegemon, or Hiereus, some experience in Golden Dawn ritual work should have been demonstrated. The incoming Hierophant has the ultimate decision whether to accept anyone in any office, as she or he is “the Captain of the Hall.

Attendance Requirements

All who hold an office are responsible for attending all monthly officers’ trainings, all monthly Neophyte Hall rites, and all monthly advancement rites that require their office’s presence. If one is not sure whether one’s office is required for an advancement, consult (in advance of that advancement’s officers’ training) the Hierophant, one’s mentor, or any Adept. In considering whether to take up an office for an equinoctial period, if one knows in advance that one cannot attend two or more of the required events or officers’ trainings, one should consider waiting to hold an office until a more suitable period.It is unfair to one’s Sorors and Fraters, especially the Hierophant and other officers of the Lodge, not to honor and keep firm one’s commitment to the office for the full six-month period. In addition to attending officers’ trainings and rituals, all officers are also expected to review on their own, and make themselves familiar with, the script and blocking for the rituals in which their presence is required.

Finding a Replacement for an Officers Temporary Absence

If an officer will not be able to attend a rite or officers’ training in which her or his office is required, the officer must secure a suitable replacement as far in advance as possible. The to-be-absent officer may ask another member to fill in or may post to the Het Nuit email list asking for a temporary replacement. After securing a suitable replacement, it is the responsibility of the officer who will be absent to post to the Het Nuit email list confirming the name of his or her stand-in. Securing of the replacement should be done at least a week before the officers’ training in preparation for the rite, so the person stepping in will get the opportunity to rehearse the rite with the full ritual team. In case of an actual emergency causing last-minute absence, please call any officer by phone as soon as possible. During some equinoctial periods, the offices of the Promagisters are filled. The Promagister Soli is the “understudy” for the Sentinel, Dadouchos, and Stolistes, and as such is the first resource for those officers should they not be able to fulfill their roles on a specific occasion. The Promagister Potissi is the “understudy” for the Kerux, Hegemon, and Hiereus, and should be contacted first by those officers should they not be able to fulfill their roles. If the proper Promagister is not available for both the officers’ training and the ritual from which one will be absent, the absent officer is required to locate another suitable replacement as outlined above.

In Gratitude

Het Nuit sincerely appreciates all those members who volunteer to take on the responsibility (and the enjoyment!) of ritual office. In setting forth these guidelines we hope to encourage each member to consider this type of active participation in the body of the Lodge. We aim to clearly communicate expectations in order to ensure the smooth functioning and effective action of our rites.

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